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State road work to follow Cornerstone construction

By Sarah Favot, sfavot@lowellsun.com

Updated:
10/15/2012 06:35:07 AM EDT

WESTFORD -- Road construction has begun near the intersection of Route 110 and Boston Road and residents can expect more construction next spring as the state is expected to begin its re-design of the intersection.

The construction that has already begun is part of Cornerstone Square developer Robert Walker's required traffic mitigation measures that he agreed to with the town to improve traffic conditions in the area of the development.

The addition of Cornerstone Square, a 238,000-square-foot retail and office development, at one of the town's busiest intersections will bring about 1,000 extra vehicular trips to the area at peak afternoon hours, according to a traffic study.

Cornerstone is expected to open at the end of the month.

According the development agreement, traffic mitigation measures include:

* Adding a signal to the intersection of the driveway into the development at Route 110.

* Widening Route 110 along the frontage of the site to provide two through lanes and an exclusive left-turn lane eastbound and westbound at the main entrance.

* Widening Boston Road northbound and the Interstate 495 northbound ramp to provide two right-turn lanes and appropriate merge back to a single lane on the ramp.

* Design and installation of sidewalks on both sides of Route 110 along the limits of the Route 110 widening on Walker's property

* Design, permitting and implementation of interim improvements at the Minot's Corner intersection

* Performing traffic counts and evaluating the safety and operation of the intersection and driveways into the development

Six months after the development is occupied, Walker must implement several traffic demand management measures, including providing and maintaining bicycle racks for cyclists and coordinating with the town in providing an intra-town local shuttle service to and from the project, for example, those provided by the Council on Aging.

Walker has begun those improvements and is expected to finish Nov. 23.

In a separate project, MassDOT has put a re-design of the intersection out to bid. A general contractor for the project should be selected within the next few months, according to town officials.

It is anticipated MassDOT will begin its construction this spring. That construction will result in a major renovation to the intersection, including additional lanes, left turns on left arrow only, double left-hand turn lanes, improved sidewalks and crosswalks and wider shoulders to accommodate bike lanes.

The new intersection was designed according to current development and planned development for that area. It is expected to last 30 years.

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